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Bar Boulud Boston

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Bar Boulud, Boston marks the Boston debut of master chef Daniel Boulud. Located in the heart of the trendy Back Bay neighborhood at Mandarin Oriental, Boston, Bar Boulud is the answer to the quest for a celebrity chef in this foodie-centric city (as the wait for reservations proves).

But it’s not all about the chef in this warm space: Interior designer Adam D. Tihany envisioned this restaurant with Mandarin Oriental and Boston in mind. The red and gold tones reflect the Mandarin Oriental ambiance, while the open charcuterie station, wine bar and open-beam ceilings reflect Boston’s rustic charm.

Enter the restaurant through the hotel or the main entrance on Boylston Street, but whatever you do, get here early — the bar scene is just as noteworthy as the restaurant.

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Our Inspector's Highlights

Situated along Boston’s popular Boylston Street, and just a block from the fashionable Newbury Street, Bar Boulud, Boston is the hottest new restaurant to open in the city.

The vaulted, open-beam ceilings and deep ruby-red chairs and benches evoke the essence of a winery, transporting you to a vintner in the Rhône Valley (one of Daniel Boulud’s favorite wine-making regions), thanks to open wine barrels, crates, casks and corks.

The impressive wine cellar carries everything from Bordeaux to zinfandels, curated by sommelier Joe Camper. You’ll find a wide selection of wines, ranging from Old World favorites to New World biodynamic blends.

Chef de cuisine Aaron Chambers (formerly of Boulud Sud in New York City) and his staff created the menu, which is filled with Bar Boulud classics and a few new items created specifically for Boston.

Things to Know

Bar Boulud Boston is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and reservations are highly recommended for the latter. After all, this is the city’s first celebrity chef-helmed restaurant.

The official dress code at Bar Boulud Boston is business casual—you’ll want to dress to impress at one of the city’s most popular restaurants.

The Food

Start with the famed house-made terrines and pâté (try the Pâté Grand-Père, made with pork, foie gras and truffles), and a cheese and charcuterie board for the table.

During the colder months, you’ll find heavier pasta dishes and steaks on the menu, while the warmer months spotlight native New England seafood and various lobster creations.

Of course, there will always be some Bar Boulud signatures on the menu, like the burgers (a fun nod to Boston is the Departed, a beef patty topped with Irish bacon, cheddar and Guinness-braised onions) and Daniel Boulud’s famed sausages.

The bar is the perfect place to meet for after-work drinks, pre-theater cocktails or a nightcap after dinner.

Featured here is the restaurant’s extensive wine list, but you can also sip on artfully crafted cocktails, like the Dark Side, with local Bully Boy aged whiskey, Boston Bual madeira, Licor 43 and Bittermens Boston Bittahs (a chamomile-citrus combination).

Camper and his team handpick wines from around the world, including France, Italy, Austria, Australia, Germany and the United States, though the focus is on the Rhône and Burgundy regions—all of which are available at the bar.

If you’re dining at Boulud’s Boston eatery, we suggest arriving a few minutes early to enjoy the bar scene before entering the dining room. (For a more relaxed setting, dine in the bar.)